Research interests

Two main areas: 1. Use of knowledge and technology in business. How is knowledge and technology developed and utilised in a business landscape which increasingly is characterised by interdependencies that stretches across companies, regions and nations? What role does investments in place; in human as well as physical resources, related over time and space, play in companies' endeavours to utilise knowledge and technology in order to reach efficiency and innovativeness? This research is carried out in interaction with colleges related to an informal, international research network, the IMP Group. (www.impgroup.org )

2. Innovation policy. How is the utilisation of knowledge in the business landscape understood in contemporary innovation policy? What underlying assumptions; about non-business knowledge development as well as about the utilisation of knowledge in business, can be traced behind this? This research is carried out in interaction with colleges related to Uppsala Universities' Centre for Science and Technology Studies. (www.sts.uu.se)

Recent research projects

National innovation policy versus trans-national business networks The starting point of the project is the 'gap' that can be identified between governmental expectations on national effects of innovation policy and empirical based research findings on interdependencies among companies embedded into transnational business networks. The project relies on a theoretical approach developed for analysis of efficiency and innovations as truly inter-organisational processes. The empirical data is collected through an EU-commission financed project involving innovation agencies from 10 EU member states.

Life Science and Biotech Business The aim of the project is investigate the development pattern behind the emergence of companies engaged in the life science area; in Sweden, UK, China and Taiwan. A number of related studies have been carried out, with the different logics among science and business as common denominator. (See www.sts.uu.se for a more detailed description of each study.)

Innovation in the Construction Industry The construction industry is known for its low degree of innovation and this is also the reason why political forces are questioning the contemporary way of its dealing with renewal of technological and organisational resources. A research project named "Driving Forces and Hinders for Innovation in the Construction Industry” is approaching this issue by investigating how 'innovation' is understood, captured and measured. The project carried out is a co-operation among Uppsala STS and Norwegian School of Management.

Håkansson, H., Waluszewski, A, (eds) 2007. "Knowledge and Innovation in Business and Industry. The importance of using others." Routledge, London, New York.

Waluszewski, A., Håkansson, H., 2007. "Economic use of Knowledge." In "Knowledge and Innovation in Business and Industry. The importance of using others." Håkansson, H., Waluszewski, A, (eds), pp. 1-27. Routledge, London, New York.

Håkansson, H., Waluszewski, A. "Interaction: the only mean to create use". In "Knowledge and Innovation in Business and Industry. The importance of using others." Håkansson, H., Waluszewski, A, (eds), pp. 147-167. Routledge, London, New York.

Baraldi, E., Waluszewski, A., 2007. "Conscious use of others' interface knowledge or How IKEA can keep the price of the Lack table constant over decades." In "Knowledge and Innovation in Business and Industry. The importance of using others." Håkansson, H., Waluszewski, A., (eds.) Routledge, London, New York.

Johanson, M., Waluszewski, A., 2007. "Handling resource interfaces in a planned economy or How Tipografiya solves interactive issues without direct interaction." In "Knowledge and Innovation in Business and Industry. The importance of using others." HåkanssonH., Waluszewski, A., (eds.) Routledge.

Ståhl, B., Waluszewski, A., 2007. "Use of knowledge in the model world – lessons to learn from economic literature." In "Knowledge and Innovation in Business and Industry, The importance of using others." Håkansson, H., Waluszewski, A., (eds.) Routledge, London, New York.

Waluszewski, A., 2004. "What's behind the different interpretations of a growing "biotech valley"? Or: How social science is coloured by its research tools." Paper presented at the Nobel Symposium, 123. In Grandin, Wormbs, Widmalm eds, "Science and Industry Nexus, History, Policy, Implications". Science and History Publications/USA.

Håkansson, H. & Waluszewski, A., 1999. "The Greatness of Being Small in Business Networks". In Oakey, R., and During, W., Mukthar, S. New Technology-Based Firms in the 1990s. Vol. 6. Amsterdam, Pergamon.

Waluszewski, A, 2005." Is it possible to Create a Prospering Biotech "Valley"? And what's the recipe: instant industrialization or seven decades of interaction concerning how to create use of resources." The Journal of Science Policy and Research Management. Vol. 20, No 1./2005